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SMARTEN UP YOUR SPACE

Ready to join the smart home revolution?These ten tips will set you on the path to an automated lifestyle of convenience. Words Bec Summer

1. Install incrementally While it might be tempting to dive right in with a swag of smart home devices, if you’re a smart home newbie it’s best to start small with basic devices like a smart plug or light bulb. This will

your home’s voice assistant to turn on the lights when you arrive home laden with shopping. Or, just experiment with all the different colours. 6. Wi-Fi coverage for the whole home Fast and stable Wi-Fi is

compatibility issues, stick with devices in the same ecosystem so they can all communicate seamlessly with each other. However, devices from different ecosystems can be integrated if they support Matter, a wireless communication protocol for interoperability. 4. Smart speaker starter A smart speaker with a built-in voice assistant is another simple foundation on which to build a smart home, and control it from a central point. If you have a lot of devices, a dedicated smart

give you a good feel for app control, setting on/ off timer schedules, and how a smart home ecosystem connects and interacts. Setting up a smart home takes time and money, so decide which parts of the home you want to automate and smarten them up one device at a time.

essential to keep connected smart home devices running smoothly. If you have a large home, your router’s signal may not reach to every room and corner, but you can patch up dead zones and slow speed areas by installing a mesh network – a system of routers or satellite nodes spread throughout the home to boost the signal.

2. Smarten up your old appliances Plug an old lamp, fan, or a coffee machine into a Wi-Fi enabled smart plug and bingo, it becomes a smart device that can be powered on and off from an app or using voice commands. And a media streaming dongle can put all your streaming apps on to a non-smart TV that has a HDMI port. 3. Ecosystem basics A smart home ecosystem streamlines control of your smart home, so you don’t need to keep switching between multiple apps. Google, Alexa, and Apple Homekit are the big three in this space, so choose the one with the voice assistant you’re currently using. To avoid

home hub with a display – like the Google Nest Hub Max – will further streamline control and make your smart home even easier to manage. 5. Let there be light Remote controlled lighting is another practical smart home starter that can be expanded upon as needed. There are numerous advantages when it comes to security and convenience: turn lights on and off at random intervals when you’re out to deter would-be burglars, and ask

7. Security smarts Your smart home journey should include beefing up security with a camera or video doorbell. They are easy to install and provide peace of mind via notifications to your phone whenever movement is detected, and in-app live camera feeds to check on your property (see page 48). Smart locks are another simple security solution – all you need is a passcode or an app to lock up or open the door remotely.

46 MARCH 2024

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